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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30072195">Cry Wolf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_the_Reaper/pseuds/Fox_the_Reaper'>Fox_the_Reaper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coffee Dad Sakura Sojiro, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, I will make that a tag, Papa Wolf Hasegawa Zenkichi, SPOILERS for Strikers, and one vague reference to Royal, but i love these idiots, so here you go, this is complete nonsense</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:02:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,042</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30072195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_the_Reaper/pseuds/Fox_the_Reaper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dead silence.  Ren stared at them from where he was holding his phone to his ear, presumably speaking to his actual father, matched by the bright blue eyes of the talking cat ever at the kid’s side.  A sly smirk spread across his face.</p><p>“Don’t say it-!”  Zenkichi blurted at the same moment Sakura barked out a hasty “No!”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amamiya Ren &amp; Hasegawa Zenkichi, Amamiya Ren &amp; Sakura Sojiro, Hasegawa Zenkichi &amp; Sakura Sojiro, Persona 5 Protagonist &amp; Hasegawa Zenkichi, Persona 5 Protagonist &amp; Sakura Sojiro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>269</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cry Wolf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zenkichi relaxed into the barstool, a wry smile fixed to his face as Sakura eyed him warily.  Ren had told the older gentleman only the bare bones of their summer adventure, but he had made sure to include Zenkichi’s name amongst his list of Thieves.  He wasn’t too sure he wanted that spread around, but Sakura was sort of the kid’s guardian.  And the curry - no longer a banned substance for him - certainly didn’t hurt either.</p><p>Speaking of, Sakura dropped the steaming plate in front of him with a very final sounding click.  “So,” he drawled.</p><p>“So?” Zenkichi prompted after a moment of uncomfortable silence.</p><p>“Those kids got to you too, huh?” the older man shook his head in mild disbelief.</p><p>“Heh.  Guess so.”</p><p>Sakura didn’t seem particularly bothered by the lack of detail, flicking a lighter open.  Cigarette smoke lazily drifted between them, glowing embers flickering briefly as he took a drag.</p><p>Zenkichi waved it away.  “You do that around all your customers?”</p><p>“You hardly count.”</p><p>Heh.  Rude.  But the gruffness was charming in its own way; a sure sign that the other was comfortable - or trying to be - in his presence.  It was a far cry from being all but thrown out the door.</p><p>It was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound a gentle clink of cutlery as Zenkichi ate.  He was pretty sure LeBlanc had been empty the other two times he’d stopped in as well.  How on earth did Sakura pay the bills like that?</p><p>“So what do you want with Ren this time?” Sakura asked, drawing the inspector from his idle musings.</p><p>He blinked.  “Huh?  Oh.  Nothing, really.  Just heard he was back in town for winter break and thought I’d check in.”  At the rate they were going the kids would probably poke another viper’s nest and unleash some other god-like being to fight, and Zenkichi would much rather stay on top of news like that, thank you very much.  Once was bad enough, but when Ann had cheerfully filled him in on their past exploits… well.  </p><p>Three beings trying to take over the world in their own way and Zenkichi had only known about <em>one</em> of them.  It had been a lot to unpack.</p><p>
  <em>‘Damn kids are gonna be the death of me.’  </em>
</p><p>Sakura snorted, features relaxing into something almost amused.  He settled into a comfortable slouch, breathing out a pale cloud of smoke.  “Guess I can’t fault you for that.  Pretty sure Ren could find trouble in his sleep if he put his mind to it.”</p><p>Considering how hard the police had been gunning for him when he hadn’t even done anything yet just that summer, Zenkichi could wholeheartedly believe it.  </p><p>Soft footsteps sounded from the stairwell.  Speak of the devil.</p><p>“Hey Zenkichi,” Ren greeted.  “I didn’t know you were in town.  I - oh, hold on a second.”  Deft hands slid along his buzzing phone’s lock-screen.  Morgana peeked down at it from over his shoulder.</p><p>Sakura shook his head.  “Always on that damn phone, I swear.”</p><p>Well, to be fair, it hadn’t been so long since that phone had been inhabited by an AI so advanced it had been indistinguishable from any other human being.  Zenkichi wondered if Sakura knew about that and was just about to ask when - </p><p>“Hey, Dad.”</p><p>Zenkichi would swear on his grave that the next words out of his mouth were purely reflexive.  Because of his daughter.  </p><p>“What’s up, kid?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Dead silence.  Ren stared at them from where he was holding his phone to his ear, presumably speaking to his actual father, matched by the bright blue eyes of the talking cat ever at the kid’s side.</p><p>Zenkichi glanced awkwardly at Sakura, who was studiously ignoring the world in favor of his cigarette.</p><p>And then Morgana, the little traitor, started laughing.</p><p>“Sorry I have to call you back in a minute,” Ren breathed out in a rush, flicking the end-call button with a sly smirk spreading across his face.  The evil expression of someone about to capitalize on a moment of sheer stupid. </p><p>“Don’t say it-!”  Zenkichi blurted at the same moment Sakura barked out a hasty “No!”</p><p>“But <i>Daa~ad</i>,” Ren sing-songed, “What will Futaba and Akane think?  How could you have kept this secret from them for so long?  Joint adoption is a pretty big step, you know.  I need to let my sisters know!”</p><p>Sakura pinched his nose, muttering something despairing about bugs under his breath that Zenkichi didn’t want to think too hard about.</p><p>“I can still arrest you,” Zenkichi said flatly, brow twitching.  He set his spoon down slowly, fully prepared to lunge after the brat.</p><p>Ren just laughed, darting toward the door with a cat cackling in his ear.  “We’re meeting in Akiba today if you want to join us,” he said instead, taking mercy on the two surprisingly easily.  “You should come.  I’m sure the others will be happy to see you too.”</p><p>Zenkichi paused, caught off-guard at the invitation and a little touched by the admission they liked having him around.  Then paused, squinting at the boy.  “Don’t you dare tell them-”</p><p>A phone buzzed and Sakura groaned.  “Too late,” he grumbled and - bugs.  Futaba.  </p><p>
  <em>Of course.</em>
</p><p>Except he kind of did still want to check on the other Phantom Thieves.  “Ugh.  Fine.”  He turned toward Sakura.  “How much do I owe you?”</p><p>Sakura just sighed and waved him off.  “Like I said, you’re hardly a customer.  Go on, do some damage control.  God knows those kids need a responsible adult around.”  He seemed to think about this for a second before adding, “Though I’m not sure how much you count for that either.”</p><p>Zenkichi spluttered, both touched and offended, and followed the sounds of laughter trailing out the door.</p><p>Ren glanced back at him, teasing smirk still firmly in place.  “Maybe we can swing by Untouchable on the way back.  If Iwai’s in I can introduce you to Gun Dad, too.”</p><p>What.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Ren just laughed again, staying a good three steps ahead as he weaved through the afternoon crowd towards the station.  “Keep up, Gramps!”</p><p>Zenkichi groaned.  Today was going to be a <em>trial</em>.</p><p>Even so, trailing after that bright sound, he didn’t quite regret it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thus begins my one-woman crusade to make "papa wolf Zenkichi" a tag.  I may have a problem.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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